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The hot afternoon sun beamed down upon the Ninja at the Monastery of Spinjitzu blinding anyone who would dare look directly at it. Not even the lifeless objects were safe from the sun’s wrath. Lloyd was sure that, had Arin not been wearing his suit’s gloves, his fingerprints would have burned off from the countless hours he spent handling the entire supply of metal ninja stars.
The sharp edges broke the apple’s skin and let the sweet juice spill out and the aroma waft through the air. The scent was fresh and crisp and reminiscent of holiday meals with everyone at the Monastery before the Merge. Lloyd couldn’t help himself. The smell was too sweet and, although they were supposed to only be used for Arin’s training, he had such a sweet tooth and these new apples tasted just like the candies he could buy in the Crossroads. Apples were the perfect combination of old and new traditions.
The apples were a nice treat, but he had still been out there all afternoon in the unwelcome heat. He didn’t want to make poor Arin beat himself up more than he already was, but they came out here every single day. Lloyd had never done or even heard of object spinjitzu before meeting his students and thus had no idea how to help him other than simple phrases of encouragement.
And when it came to ‘Ninja never quit’ Arin was a shining example.
“Look Wyldfyre, as fun as it is, you can’t just blow anything up that stands in your way,” He heard Kai say from the next training station over.
“Keep working, I’m going to go check on the others,” Lloyd decided, setting his half-eaten apple down.
Arin replied, “You got it.”
“Why not?” Wyldfyre countered. Lloyd watched her get into a stance that would never be Master Wu Approved. “Sounds like you are scared. It’s okay if you are. With my help, you will become brave.”
“What?!” Kai allowed his hand to ignite. Flames of the most vibrant shades of scarlet and bronze weaved around his fingers like an exciting new dance where you never know what the performers are going to do, but you’re enthralled every step of the way. “I’ll show you I’m not-”
“Will you two keep it down over there?!” Nya complained loudly before turning back to Sora who seemed to be repairing her mech after their last adventure. Some wanna-be mechanics got power hungry and started hurting anyone they could with an excuse.
Lloyd grinned. Everyone had been apart for so long he even missed Nya and Kai’s family bickering.
Kai rolled his eyes and extended a single finger, now with only a small fire no larger than a candle light, at the old soda can they were using stationed about ten feet away resting on a cheap metal stool. “Okay, kid, remember that word we were talking about? Precision? It means that I’m going to hit the target and only the target.” He shot a stream of fire, successfully creating a hole dead through the center. The edges glowed crimson before cooling down and turning ashy black. “Now you try. Hit the can and only the can. We don’t want the entire monastery to burn down.”
Lloyd patted Kai’s shoulder. “Keep at it, let me know if you need any help, okay?” He walked over to Nya who was grumbling something about an irresponsible brother, and Sora, half inside some panel on her mech. “And how is it going over here?”
“Well,” Sora sighed, her voice slightly muffled from the machine’s interior. “I’m not having much luck. I thought once you got your true potential using an elemental power would come easy.”
“Yeah, that does sound nice.” Lloyd leaned against the edge of the Monastery’s fence. “Unfortunately, it takes a little more work than that.”
“Cheer up, Sora!” Nya motioned to what looked like nothing more than spare parts a few feet away. “She almost put together this toaster with her power.”
“Really? That’s amazing, Sora!”
“Yeah, sure.” Sora pulled herself out of the mech and pointed her Allen wrench at the pile. “Emphasis on almost . Instead of making toast, all it’s doing is reminding me how much work developing my power is going to take.”
“Keep at it,” Lloyd encouraged. He put a hand on Nya's shoulder and walked out of earshot. “Where’s Zane?”
“He’s just inside running programs to find P.I.X.A.L. and Master Wu.” She suddenly became very interested in the loose threads on the hem of her suit. “And Jay.”
“We’ll find him,” Lloyd assured her.
“How do you know? What if he’s… you know.”
“He’s not.”
“Lloyd.”
“He’s not!”
“You don’t know that!” Nya wrapped her arms around her stomach and looked over the horizon to where what used to be only Ninjago. Now, with different cultures mixing together, the city was decorated with every kind of unique architecture and in the center of it all was the Crossroads. It was the most beautiful representation of souls and connection. A place where people come together to celebrate their differences. “It’s been years and we still have no clue where he is. I’ve been all over and I still haven’t seen any sign of him. What if he’s…gone?” She choked.
Lloyd pulled her into a tight hug. “Don’t forget what you told me about Cole. He hasn’t come back yet, maybe he’s close to finding him. Jay isn’t gone. I can feel it.” And he could. Jay had the best raw survival skills of any of them. He has always been the last one standing. He always made it out alive like when they were stuck in the Prime Empire or fighting Nadakhan. “He is probably looking for you as we speak.”
“You’re right.” Nya straightened and blinked back the moisture threatening to spill over. “I…I should get back to helping Sora.”
“Don’t let me stop you.” Lloyd gave her arm one more comforting rub and took his own second to stare out over the city he protected. It’s true, he lost a lot in the Merge. He lost everyone he knew and cared for, but he also gained some things. He gained maturity and newfound appreciation for what he did have. Overall though, he gained Arin, Sora, and Wyldfyre. He never thought of himself as a teacher, yet here he was. And he never knew Kai to be so alive with a sense of purpose. They made friends and allies all over the new world.
Speaking of Arin.
Lloyd made his way to his student whose object spinjitzu target was looking more like applesauce now.He sucked in through his teeth. “Let’s get you a new target.” He reached into the bucket placed next to the stand and grabbed a new apple. “I’m sure you’ll get it. We know you’ve given an object Spinjitzu power before so it’s only a matter of time before you find out how to do it without being in the heat of battle.”
Arin nodded and threw another ninja star. “Master Lloyd?”
“Just Lloyd.”
“Lloyd? I have a question about the time we visited the Cloud Kingdom.”
He remembered the events of the day well. Mergequakes, Cloud Monks, and little talking worms who didn’t know what should stay a secret. “Whatever Kai told you isn’t true.”
“What?” Arin gave him a quizzical look. “No. What did Kai say?”
“Nothing,” Lloyd assured him quickly, glad his embarrassing secret wasn’t completely out of the bag. “What was your question?”
Arin raised an eyebrow but dropped the subject. “Well, remember that elemental master of wind we met there? You said you knew the last one. I’m just wondering what she was like.”
That caught Lloyd off-guard. He was expecting a question about what happened in the Archives or at least something about the creature that came out of the Mergequake. He hadn’t thought about Master Wu’s former student in a while. “Uh, he.”
“Sorry.” Arin corrected himself. “What was he like?”
What was Morro like? Well, to put it simply Lloyd would have to say terrifying. Not that he wanted to scare the kid, though. Having someone take complete control of your body and have access to all your personal thoughts and feelings isn’t a fate he would wish upon his worst enemy. He would feel his own body go against his will to hurt and attempt to even kill those who swore to love him and protect him.
“Lloyd?” Arin interrupted. “Did you hear me?”
“What?” He shook himself out of his thoughts. “Oh, yeah. His name was Morro and he didn’t like me very much. He was a ghost.”
Arin stopped throwing. “He was a ghost?”
Lloyd nodded and forced out a chuckle. “Yeah, he possessed me and…and opened up the Cursed Realm. We closed it again, so you don’t need to worry.” He didn’t think he needed to mention finding his dad, still with his human side, in there and being powerless to save him.
Arin stared at him, jaw dropped.
Lloyd couldn’t bring himself to focus on his student, or anywhere in particular really. He had been told so many times that what happened wasn’t his fault, but if it hadn’t been for him then nobody would have gotten hurt, least of all his family. He should have been stronger. He was supposed to be the Legendary Green Ninja, he should have been able to fight harder.
Goosebumps spread across his arms and Morro’s voice echoed in his head as if he was still in control.
“I’m stronger, Lloyd! I always have been! And I’ve been inside your head. I know what you’re afraid of. You could never do it alone, could you?! Weak!”
As much as he wanted to deny it, he knew Morro was right. If he had just been a little stronger his family wouldn’t have needed to get involved. No one would have gotten hurt and Cole wouldn’t have turned into a ghost.
“Lloyd?” Arin reached out a hand to put on his shoulder then seemed to think better of it at the last second. “I’m sorry for bringing it up. Are you-”
“Let’s finish training here.” Lloyd turned away from him. “You can have the rest of the day off.” He didn’t wait for Arin to respond before swiftly leaving and locking himself in his room.
He was fine. He was fine. Morro wasn’t here and there wasn’t any way he was going to come back. That was years ago and they stopped him. Yes, the world almost ended and it was Lloyd’s fault, but they prevented that.
Still, Morro was here in a way.
“Wu’s precious little Green Ninja.” It came out of Lloyd’s mouth, but it wasn’t Lloyd’s voice.
He looked into the reflecting pool, but what stared back at him was an offensive version of himself. His now sunken cheeks were a sickly green and his hair was as dark as polluted water. He was skinny and his flesh was drier than the desert. He couldn’t choose when he got food or water and Morro was happy to keep it that way. But what was worse than all of that were his eyes. His eyes which normally shone a brilliant green were now the color of sewage. They weren’t his own and yet they were. It was as if he could see his own soul trapped and screaming for release behind the ghostly markings.
As if he needed a reminder of the creature that was now in complete control of his body.
Lloyd wished at least his eyes were his to command. He wanted to look away or close them or just do something so he didn’t have to gaze upon his broken image.
“Were you not supposed to be his strongest warrior? Is that not what the Legendary Green Ninja is destined to be?” Morro’s lifeless voice echoed around the cavern, loud enough to shake loose stones out of place. “I was Wu’s strongest and best! And yet I was denied everything. Your entire life was handed to you on a silver platter!”
Lloyd was unable to respond in any sort of normal manner. All he could do was lay at the mercy of Morro and prayed he interpreted his thoughts correctly.
“Pathetic.” Lloyd felt Morro spit into his reflection. Ripples danced across the surface, distorting the image at last. “Wu’s favorite student has been reduced to begging.”
No.
Lloyd physically shook his head and reminded himself of his surroundings. He was at the Monastery of Ninjago. Not some creepy, secluded cave.
Morro wasn’t here.
What would Master Wu do?
Master Wu: wise and perfect. Pretty much everything Lloyd could never be. Still, he could try. Master Wu would meditate. That’s something Lloyd could do.
Struggling to keep Morro’s voice out of his head, he laid out his meditation carpet and lit some incense. A mix of lavender and sandalwood filled the air. It wasn’t a big change, but the smell reminded him of his uncle.
Lloyd sat and rested his hands on his knees, palms open and ready to ‘let go’ as Master Wu always told him. He shut his eyes.
Deep breath in. And out.
In.
Lloyd used every ounce of his will, but to no avail.
Out.
No matter how hard he pulled, he couldn’t stop himself.
In.
All he could do was sit and watch.
Out.
He wasn’t strong enough. His family still got hurt.
Lloyd opened his eyes, annoyed. This wasn’t working.
He had to have been doing something wrong. All things considered, it shouldn’t be affecting him this much. The whole ordeal happened several years ago.
Cole had it worse than him, yet Lloyd never saw him react as badly as he did. He had been turned into a ghost, his own worst nightmare, and yet he always just seemed fine.
Lloyd wished he could just let go. Instead, he still felt disconnected from his body sometimes as if Morro were still in control of it. Usually, he could push through and ignore the flashbacks. Right now though, it didn’t feel like an option.
Sometimes, he just needed to remind himself that it was real and that it did happen.
Lloyd stood and made his way to the beaten cardboard box behind his bed. Every single old suit he could salvage he kept in here. Including the one during his time with Morro. He picked it up and held it gingerly in his hands.
He probably should have cut up the gi or have Kai burn it a long time ago. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to do so. It was the only physical evidence he had that told him he wasn’t crazy. He wanted to protect it like he couldn’t protect himself. He wanted to love it.
Lloyd was yanked from his thoughts when the door slammed open with Kai in the middle of the pass. “Lloyd!”
Lloyd startled, heart slamming inside his rib cage. “What?! What happened?! Is the Empress back?!”
He expected to find some sort of evidence of danger, maybe other loud noises or a wound, but instead Kai only leaned against the doorway looking smug. “No, of course not. But you have to come outside and see what an amazing teacher I am. Wyldfyre is making a lot of progress.”
Lloyd stared at him, hardly daring to believe it. Here he was, stuck in some of the most terrifying moments of his life, and Kai had the gall to intrude only to boast. He clenched the gi so hard his knuckles turned white as he felt his anger, that was usually kept so well in check, bubble out. “Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?!”
Kai’s cocky expression fell. “What?”
“You heard me!” Lloyd spat and stepped toward him. “I don’t care what amazing or impossible thing you’ve done this time. Did you ever stop to think that I might be busy?! No! All you ever care about is yourself!”
Kai silently leaned back, clearly stunned.
Lloyd grit his teeth. “I said I’m busy.” And he was. He couldn’t go help babysit Wyldfyre or whatever it was he wanted him to do this time.
Kai’s eyes fell upon the old, probably too small, gi still gripped tightly in Lloyd’s hands and a look of recognition and concern dawned over his face. He spoke softly as he shut the door. “Lloyd, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…”
Lloyd’s rage dissipated and with it the crumbling dam holding back all his tears. They came flooding out, yet he couldn’t seem to find the energy to stop them. “No-No. I’m sorry. I-I shouldn’t have said any of that. You’re not selfish. I can- I can come out and help. I can-”
He was interrupted when a pair of strong, warm arms wrapped around him. Morro’s voice quieted to nothing more than a whisper and Lloyd dropped the gi as his knees gave out. Kai caught him and held him tighter.
It was like that they carefully dropped to the floor, refusing to let go of each other.
“Kai, I-”
“Stop.” Kai held Lloyd against his chest. He held him like the kid he technically was. “You’re hurting. I’m not mad at you. You’re safe here, okay?”
Lloyd nodded. He believed him too.
Morro was gone. Kai was here. His brother was here.